தமிழ்

The land of Ambhat Bhaath

Recipes

Tamil classics, a Gujarati memory and a thousand years of travel, in one kitchen.

Ambhat Bhaath served on a banana leaf with appalam, pickle and curd

Sourashtrians came south from Gujarat through Maharashtra and Andhra before settling in Madurai, and our food carries that whole journey: northern spice habits, southern rice and tamarind, and a few dishes that are entirely our own. If you have eaten Ambhat Bhaath made by a Sourashtrian, you know.

Speak the menu.

Bhaath
Rice, or a rice dish
Ounty
Gravy, kuzhambu
Pilchar
Rasam
Bhurko
Spice powder, podi
Phalar
Idli
Bhairi
Vadai, fritter

Rice & pongal

Rice is the heart of every Sourashtra meal, and the mixed rice dishes are what we are best known for.

  • Ambhat Bhaath

    Puliyodharai

    Our signature tamarind rice. Tamarind, sesame oil and a fenugreek-forward spice blend are cooked down into a deep, glossy paste before the rice goes in. The ratio of spices is what sets it apart from the Tamil puliyodharai.

  • Serki Bhaath

    Cotton seed milk rice

    Rice cooked in fresh paruthi paal (cotton seed milk) with jaggery, cardamom, dry ginger and ghee. Gentle, warming and nourishing.

  • Thakkali Pongal

    Tomato pongal

    Pongal cooked with tomatoes, served with chutney.

  • Limbu Pongal

    Lemon rice

    Rice brightened with lemon and a tempering of mustard, dal and curry leaves.

  • Muddha Ambhat Bhaath

    Mashed tamarind rice

    A soft, mashed take on tamarind rice. Pure comfort food.

Ounty & Pilchar

Our gravies and rasams, built on homemade bhurko rather than shop-bought powders.

  • Kajali Ounty

    Slow-cooked gravy

    A spiced, slow-cooked gravy of mixed vegetables or meat, made with Ounty Bhurko.

  • Joman Pilchar

    Tomato garlic rasam

    Sourashtra-style rasam with tomato, garlic and tamarind, sharpened with coarsely hand-ground pepper and cumin.

  • Chaina Ounty

    Festive meat gravy

    Mutton or chicken in a gravy of roasted spices, made for celebrations such as Deepavali.

  • Thakkali Ounty

    Thakkali kulambu

    Tomato gravy, the classic partner for a plate of hot Phalar.

Snacks & sweets

Street-side favourites from Madurai and the sweets that come out on festival days.

  • Pangarappan Bhairi

    Mullu murungai keerai vadai

    Crisp fritters of soaked rice ground with mullu murungai leaves and peppercorns. A Madurai street food long associated with Sourashtrian vendors.

  • Keerai Vadai

    Spinach vadai

    Brought to Madurai by our community and now loved across the city.

  • Gullu Appam

    Loni appam

    Soft, butter-enriched appams cooked in an appakarai, made sweet or savoury.

  • Bun Halwa

    Bread halwa

    Sweet bun slow-cooked with ghee, sugar and milk until rich and glossy.

  • Sojji Appam

    Stuffed sweet appam

    Appam filled with semolina and jaggery.

The bhurko

Every Sourashtra kitchen keeps its own jars of roasted, hand-ground powders. They are what give our food its aroma.

  • Ounty Bhurko

    Gravy powder

    The everyday spice blend behind most of our gravies.

  • Sambar Bhurko

    Sambar powder

    Roasted and ground at home for a distinct Sourashtra sambar.

  • Pilchar Bhurko

    Rasam powder

    The pepper and cumin heavy blend behind our rasam.

Your family's recipe belongs here.

Every Sourashtra household makes these a little differently. The community recipe collection from the old palkar.org is being restored, and we would love to add yours. Send your recipe, with a photo if you have one, to tirukonda@palkar.org.